ABSTRACT
Improved nutrition, medicine and sanitation over the generations mean that humans now live far longer than evolution demands. With retirement age generally set at age 65, there are some positive bene®ts that most people look forward to, be they looking after grandchildren, indulging more frequently in hobbies, visiting friends, travelling, or simply waking up later in the morning. What many people do not expect is to be treated as redundant or super¯uous to society. Although more frequent illness and accidents are part of the ageing process, we certainly do not expect deliberate physical harm against us. However, neglect, abuse and exploitation of the elderly does occur, and with more people expected to live longer in the future, the prevalence of such problems will increase.
